This invention relates to a lid applicator and a method of applying a lid.
Typically, bank cheques are sent to account holders through the mails in boxes. To prepare cheques for mailing, bundles of cheques may be automatically dispensed into a box tray and then a box lid is manually fitted to the box tray. The manual fitting of the lids copes with the fact that the sides of the box trays and lids are often bowed or otherwise mis-shapen. However, this manual operation slows the speed of preparation for mailing. This invention therefore seeks to automate this operation.
In order to fit a flexible lid to a flexible container a pair of opposed plates are used. Each plate is pivotably mounted intermediately of its upper and lower edges such that upper edges of the opposed plates may pivot toward and away from each other. Each plate is biased to an inclined position whereat the upper edges of the opposed plates are more proximate than the lower edges of the plates. With this arrangement, a lid may be placed with respect to the pair of opposed plates such that opposed lower edges of the lid are positioned below the upper edges of said plates and at an outward side of said plates. A flexible container may then be raised between the plates such that the container urges each of the plates away from its inclined position.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a box-lid applicator, comprising: a pair of opposed plates, each plate pivotably mounted intermediately of its upper and lower edges such that upper edges of said opposed plates may pivot toward and away from each other, each plate biased to an inclined position whereat the upper edges of the opposed plates are more proximate than the lower edges of the plates.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for fitting a flexible lid to a flexible container, comprising: a pair of opposed plates, each plate pivotably mounted intermediately of its upper and lower edges such that upper edges of said opposed plates may pivot toward and away from each other, each plate biased to an inclined position whereat the upper edges of the opposed plates are more proximate than the lower edges of the plates.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of applying a flexible lid to a flexible container, comprising: placing a lid with respect to a pair of opposed plates, each plate pivotably mounted intermediately of its upper and lower edges such that upper edges of said opposed plates may pivot toward and away from each other, each plate biased to an inclined position whereat the upper edges of the opposed plates are more proximate than the lower edges of the plates such that opposed lower edges of said lid are positioned below said upper edges of said plates and at an outward side of said plates; and raising a container between said plates such that said container urges each of said plates away from its inclined position.
Other features and aspect of the invention will become apparent after review of the following description and drawings.